Mumbai, Oct 5 (The Hindu): In a classic case of washing dirty linen in public, a BMC assistant engineer and his estranged actor wife have taken their bickering to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and other government departments, including the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The woman’s complaint has led to a probe against the civic employee.

Married in 1995 but staying separately since 2012, Anil and Aakruti Mistry have made separate allegations against each other and sent complaints to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and the BMC Commissioner as well.

In her complaint dated February 2, Ms. Mistry accused her husband of being corrupt. She alleged that in 2008, a BMC officer visited their residence with a bag, supposedly containing papers that Mr. Mistry had sent, with instructions that it not be opened.

In her complaint, she said, “I didn’t open the bag. As it was a long weekend, we left for our bungalow in Lonavala. The building’s water supply had been disrupted just before we left, and I forgot to close a tap in the bathroom. When we returned, the bedroom was filled with water. Anil rushed to get the bag and asked me shut the door. When I went to help, I realised the bag contained ?50 lakh in cash. I was shocked and worried, but Anil begged me to keep it quiet.”

Ms. Mistry, who was known as Aarti Nagpal as an actor, comes from the family of silent films maker Vitthaldas Panchotia. She said her husband had been investigated by the ACB in 2001, and that he had forced her to consult a psychiatrist on the pretext of saving their failing marriage. Ms. Mistry also alleged she was given medication that made her sleep early. Before he left her in 2012, Mr. Mistry would ‘disappear’ from Thursday to Sunday every week, she claimed. She also accused him of forging her signature to invest ?1 crore of her money in the stock market without her knowledge.

Her complaint claimed her husband had purchased bungalows in Pune, Lonavala, Madh Island, Shahpur and a plot of land in Lonavala, Khodala, a property in Adarsh Nagar, Andheri (E), flats in Andheri and Kandivali and shops in Charkop and Andheri with money allegedly made through corruption after being promoted to Assistant Engineer in the BMC. “Apart from this, he has also purchased expensive cars, including a BMW and a Mercedes, and owned an imported Honda motorbike.” She told The Hindu that all relevant documents have been handed over to the ACB as proof.

In his complaint on September 20, Mr. Mistry accused his wife and her boyfriend Dilip Rajput of forgery, trespass,cheating, fraud, threatening and defamation. He also blamed her acting career for problems in their marriage, and claimed she had not been able to give time to their two children.

According to Mr. Mistry, his wife is in possession of two flats, one owned by his late mother and now belonging to his elder brother. and another they own jointly. “Aakruti and her boyfriend have crossed all limits of humanity, decency and culture, and can go to any extent to cause me and my family. They have gone to the extent of ‘managing’ the authorities to register false cases against me and my family,” his complaint claims. It also mentions a case of cheating filed in 2017 by MHADA against his wife.

Mr. Mistry told The Hindu. “We are fighting a case in court. She is making these constant allegations to claim money from me. A departmental inquiry is on in the BMC, and I have already given my statement to the ACB,” he said.